Heat transfer apparatus



May 23, 1950 R. E. MOORE HEAT TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed March 4, 1947Ina/enter: Robert E. Moore,

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His Attorney.

PatcntedMyZS, 1950 HEAT TRANSFER APPARATUS Robert E, Moore, Baltimo'c,Md., assi gnor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication March 4, 1947, Serial No. 732.183

My invention relates to heat transfer apparatus and more particularly toheat transfer panels arranged to be moved toward and away from eachother.

For use in maintaining predetermined temperature conditions, it issometimes desirable to provide panels with which a conduit for heattransfer fluid is associated. For example, in the preservation of foodsand particularly in the freezing and storing of foods which are to bemaintained in a frozen condition there is sometimes provided a cabinethaving refrigerated panels which may be arranged vertically aspartitions or horizontally as shelves. Where several such panels areemployed the overall refrlgerated panel assembly may require asubstantial space because of the spacing between the individual panels.Where it is necessary to ship a complete refrigerating unit includingpanels, for example for replacement purposes, the necessary shippingpackage under such conditions is quite bulky. such a refrigerated panelassembly is also unwieldly for handling during manufacture prior toassembly in the cabinet. I overcome these difliculties by providing astructure wherein the refrigerated panel 'assembly may be collapsed'when not assembled in the cabinet. This affords a very compact packagefor shlpment and also simplies transportation and handling during themanufacturing process prior to assembly in the cabinet. It provides afurther advantage during manufacture in' that the refrigerating systemmay be evacuated with the panels in the collapsed position, therebyenabling the use of a much smaller evacuating chamber than wouldnormally be required.

Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to provide a heat transferapparatus including a plurality of heat transfer panels wherein thepanels may be arranged in a compact collapsed relationship.

It is another object of my invention to provide a heat transfer panelassembly which may be readily assembled within and disassembled from acabinet.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a plurality of heattransfer panels which may be folded together to form a compact packageand which may be readily spaced apart for installation in a cabinet.

It is still another object of my invention to provide a cabinetincluding heat transfer panel assembly wherein the panel assembly may bereadily adapted to small variations in spacing between shelf supports inthe cabinet.

Furtler objects and advantages of my invens Claims. (ci. 257-22 z tionwill become apparent as the following description proceeds and thefeatures of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed outwith particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of thisspeciflcation.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a portion ofa refrigerator cabinet provided with panels employed as shelves andembodying my invention; Fig. 2 shows the refrigerated panel assemblyseparated from the cabinet and illustrates the shelves in spacedrelationship; Fig. 3 shows the panel assembly in the collapsed position;Fig. 4 shows an arrangement for mounting the shelves on the inner wallof the refrigerator cabinet; and Fig. 5 shows an alternative arrangementfor mounting the shelves on the inner wall.

In Fig. 1 there is shown a refrigerator cabinet i which includes anouter metal wall 2 and an inner metal wall or liner 3, which forms afood preservation compartment 4 within the cabinet. A door 5 is providedfor closing the front opening of the food preservation compartment 4.The top of the food preservation compartment 4 is completed by a metalpanel 6 which rests on flanges on the top of the liner 3. In order toprovide surfaces on which food may be placed for freezing or storage,there are located within the food preservation compartment l a pluralityof heat transfer shelves or panels 1, 8 and I which may be cooled bysuitable refrigerant. The liner 3 is provided with a plurality ofhorizontal openings o, H and |2 through which the shelves may beintroduced for assembly within the cabinet. In order to support theforward portion of the shelves, brackets !3, II and l5 are providedalong the side walls of the liner 3. The shelves are secured to thebrackets by screws IS or other suitable fastening devices.

Referring now to Fig. 2, liquid refrigerant is supplied to therefrigerated shelf assembly from any suitable condensing apparatus (notshown) through a flow restricting tube l'l, sometimes referred to as a"capillary" tube. A dryer li is provided for absorbing moisture whichmay collect in the system. The refrigerant is supplied in series throughextended conduits IS, 20, 2l and 22 which are arranged in heat exchangerelationship with the panel 8 and the shelves 1, l and 9 respeotively.Vaporized refrigerant collects in a header 23 and is withdrawn by thecondensing apparatus through a suction line 24 which is secured alongpart of its length in heat exchange relationship with the restrictingtube I'l. Although in order to secure additional re- &500.011

!rigeration within the compartment 4, I have provided the refrigerantconducting conduit I! for cooling the panel I which forms the top o! thefood preservation compartment 4. this conduit may be eliminated, ii'deslred. and the total refrigeration supplied through the conduitsassociated with the selves 1. 8 and 3. Also, while I have shown threerefrigerated shelves it will be apparent that a smaller or a largernumber of refrigerated shelves may be employed within the scope of myinvention. Further, the refrlgerant-conducting system may be formed of amultiple section conduit, as illustrated in the drawing, for conveniencein manui'acture, or it may. if desired, be i'ormed o! one continuousconduit, eliminating the necessity for the jolnts 25. !I and 21 shown inFig. 2.

Referring now in detail to the shelf 8, the major portion of the conduit!I which is located between the points indicated at 28 and 23, is brazedor otherwise rigldly Secured to the under surface of the shelf 8 in goodheat conducting relation therewith. The sections 30 and 3I extendingfrom the points 28 and 29 respectively to an edge of the shelf are notbrazed or otherwise rigldly Secured to the surface of the shelf and are,therefoie, free for limited movement relative to the shelf. In order toprevent lateral motion of the free portion 30 of the conduit 2! and atthe same time to permit a turning or twisting movement of this portion30 a clamp 32 or other suitable fastening device is provided.

The clamp is fixed to the shelf 8 by brazlng or by any other suitablefastening arrangement and is shaped to fit about the portion 30 of theconduit. The clamp thus prevents lateral motion of the conduit but doesnot grip the conduit tightly so that turning or twisting motion is stillpermitted. A similar clamp 33 is provided for the portion 3l of theconduit.

In order to bridge the space between adjacent shelves 'I and 8, theconduit Zi includes a bridging portion 34 which extends diagonallyupward from the edge of shelf 8 toward the shelf '1, and the end of thisportion 34 of the conduit 2! is joined to the conduit 20, which issimilarly arranged in heat exchange relationship with the shelf 1, thebridglng portion 34 thus being arranged intermediate the extendedportions of the conduits 20 and ZI. From the portion 3l the conduit !Iextends diagonally downward, as indicated at 35, to join with anupwardly extending bridgingportion of the conduit 22. The arrangement ofthe refrigerant conducting conduit on the shelves 'I and 9 and on thepanel 6 is similar to that described in detail with' regard to shelf 8.The conduit associated with each of these members is provided with atleast one section which is free to twist relative to its associatedpanel or shelf. Thus the conduit 19 includes an extended portion whichis brazed to the top surface of the panel 6 over substantially itsentire length, but is provided with a section 36 which is not rigidlyfixed to the panel 6 and is free to twist relative thereto. Similarly,the conduit associated with shelf 'I includes sections 31 and 38 whichare free to twist relative to shelf 1. The shelf 3 includes a section 39which is not rigidly fixed to the shelf and is free to twist relativethereto. The sections 36, 31, 38 and 39 are held against laterai motionby clamps 3Sa, na, 38a and 33a, respectively, which are similar to theclamps 32 and 33 and permit turning or twisting of the respectivesections.

The sections of the conduits adiacent the duit 20. which is associatedwith the shell 'also twists in a clockwise direction. This permits thebridging portion 40 of the conduit 20 to Swing into the plane of thepanel 6 and the shelf 'I as they approach one another. A similar actionof corresponding parts takes place as the shelf 'I and the shelf 8 aremoved toward each other, and the same applies to the adiacent shelves 8and 9. Hence the provision of conduit sections adjacent the edges of therespective shelves in such a manner that a twisting movement is afiordedpermits the assembly to be readily collapsed without any strain orinjury to the component parts. When it is desired to install theassembly in the cabinet the shelves are pulled apart the requireddistance and inserted through the openlngs provided for the purpose inthe liner 3. If desired, fiexible connecting elements, such as chains4l, 42 and 43. may be employed between the panels 6, '1, 8 and 9 tolimit theextent to which the assembly may be expanded. The restrictingtube i'l is of small diameter and is sufflciently fiexible that it maybe folded when the shelf assembly is collapsed, and lt readily unfoldswhen the assembly is expanded. The shelf asembly described above notonly provides for collapsing upon disassembly from the cabinet but theadjustability of the shelves also affords compensation for slightvariations in the spacing of the openings o, H and z.

In Fig. 4 there is shown an arrangement for mounting the several shelveswithin the openings provided in the liner 3. For purposes ofillustration, the mounting of the shelf 8 is shown. Adjacent the openingil the liner 3 is provided with flanges 44 and 45, which may be formedfrom the metal of the liner 3 during the stamping operation. The shelf 8is supported on the fiange H by suitable fastening devices'such as boltsand nuts, one of each being shown at li. 41. In order to further supportthe shelf 8 and to provide a closure for the opening il in the innerliner, a plate 48 of substantially L-shaped cross-section is fastened tothe shelf 8 and to the fiange 44 by the bolt and nut 46, 41, previouslymentioned. The lower end of the plate 48 is Secured to the inner liner 3by a bolt 49 and a nut 50 or by any other suitable fastening device. Theforward portion of the sheif I is further supported by brackets |4Secured to the side of the liner 3, as previously explained.

In Fig. 5 there is shown a modified arrangement for mounting the shelveson the liner and for closing the openings in the liner. The shelf 8' isprovided with a closure plate 48' which is brazed or otherwise securedto a downwardly extending portion 5! of the shelf. The refrigerantconducting conduit ZI' extends through the closure plate 48' and throughthe downwardly extending portion 5! of the shelf. In order to mount thesheli on the liner the closure plate 38' is Secured at its upperextremity to the liner 3' by bolts and nuts or other suitable fasteningdevices. one of which is shown at 52 and 53 in Fig. 5. The

ti lower end of a closure plate 48' is similarly secured to the liner 3'by nuts and bolts, one of which is indicated at 54 and 55 in Fig. 5.

' while I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my inventionas applied to a refrigerator cabinet, it will be apparent that myinvention may be employed equally well in the construction of panels forheating equipment. I do not, therefore, desire my invention to belimited to the specific constructionshown and described and I intend bythe appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit andscop oi' my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. A heat transfer apparatuscomprising a. pair of panels arranged inspaced and generally parallel planes, and a conduit having an extendedportion secured in-heat exchange relationship psition adiacent andgenerally parallel to each o her.

4. A heat transfer apparatus comprising a pair v tended portions havinga section extending to with each of said panels for affecting the tem-'r perature of said panels, the portion of said conduit intermediate saidextended portions diagonally bridging the space between said panels,each of said extended portions having a section adjacent saidintermediate portion and connected directly thereto which is disposedadjacent the face of its respective panel and is free of rigidengagement therewith so that said section is free to twist relative toits respective panel whereby said intermediate portion may swingrelative to said panels for permitting said panels to move to acollapsed position adjacent and generally parallel to each other. V

2. A heat transfer apparatus comprising a pair of panels arranged inspaced and generally parallel planes. and a' continuous conduit forspplying heat transfer fluid in heat exchange relationship with saidpanels, said conduit including an extended portion in heat exchangerelationship with each of said panels for aflecting the temperature ofsaid panels, and a portion intermediate said extended portionsdiagonally bridging the space between said panels, each of said extendedportions having a section adjacent said intermediate portion andintegral therewith which is arranged in the same plane as the remainderof its respective extended portion and is free of rigid engagement withits respective panel so that said section is free to twist relative toits respective panel whereby said intermediate portion may swingrelative to said panels for per- !hitting said panels to move to acollapsed position adiacent and generally parallel to each other.

3. A heat transfer apparatus comprising a pair of panels arranged inspaced and generally parallel planes, an extended conduit secured in Icured to said panel for preventin'g later-al move- 'ment' whilepermittin'g heat exchange reiationship with each of said conduit mayswing relative to said panels for permittingsaidpanelstomovetoacollapsedan edge of its respective panel and connected directly to said bridgingportion, said. section being free of rigid engagement with itsrespective panel so that it is free to twist relative to its respectivepanel whereby said bridging portion may swing relative to said panelsfor permitting said panels to move to a collapsed position adjacent andgenerally parailel to each other.

5. A heat transfer apparatus comprising a pair of panels arranged inspaced and generally parallel planes, a conduit having an extendedportion secured in heat exchange relationship with each of said panelstor aflecting the temperature of said panels, the portion of saidconduit .intermediate said extended portions bridging the gap betweensaid panels, each of said extended portions including a section which isrigidly secured to its respective panel and a sectermediate portionbeing connected to said second sections whereby said intermediateportion may swir-g relative to said panels for permitting said panels tomove toward and away from each other in generally' parallel reationship.I

6. A heat transfer apparatus comprising a panel, an extended conduitsecured in heat exchange relationship with said panel for affecting' thetemperature of said panel, the 'major portion of 'said extended conduitbeing rigidly secured to said panel, the remaining portion of saidconduit being free of rigid engagement with said panel so that saidremaining portion is free to twist relative to said panel, and' a clampsesaid twisting movement.

nonem' E. MOORE.

an-mamane c'ran 'The following rei'erences are of flle of this patent:

V UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,961,070 -Murphy May 29, 1934&007.701 Apple July 9, 1935 4 &1051151 Money Jan. 18, 1938 1158544Rastin May 2, 1939 2,231,012 Kleist Feb. 11,- '1941 2,313,499 Alyne Mar.9, 1943 &327.355 Kieist Aug. 24., 1943 :seem

record in the

